: Aftimun and Koshuth are two popular plants with different indications in Persian medicine which usually used wrongly instead of each other because of similar appearance. The word Aftimun (epithymum) is a Greek word that “epi” means “on” in Latin and “thymum” means “thymus”. Considering its meaning and its appearance which is mentioned to have red color. the scientific name of Aftimun is Cuscusta epithymum that often grows on thyme and has black bile scavenging properties and is applied for treatment of melancholia, mania, melancholic epilepsy, melancholic headache.

About Koshuth it has been indicated that its stem is yellowish and its flower is small and whitish and its seed is smaller than radish and circular and the best type is fresh yellow with bitter taste which grows on thorns. This characteristics match to Cuscuta chinensis which is mostly seen on camel’s thorn. In Persian medicine, koshuth is mentioned to be opener and remover of waste materials from vessels and tonifying stomach, liver, spleen and blood vessels, diuretic, emmenagogue, lactiferous and sudoriferous, laxative and uterus cleanser and used for treatment of chronic fevers and splenomegaly